


Rolling

by midnightdown (sailorsuga)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-05-01 05:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5193215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorsuga/pseuds/midnightdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘It’s a matter of finding the odd one out in the end.’<br/>-<br/>He had brought his guitar to school again; to practice with his music teacher. Gemma had warned him the first time what would happen. They were poor; low-class; nothing. People around here will remind you of that when you got in over your head. They could never support someone who had bigger dreams than this town; only shatter them. And that’s what she feared most for Harry because he was always dreaming and always hoping for something more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rolling

**Author's Note:**

> (2010/11 Steph): So I have an obsession with anime :) And this was inspired by Rolling Girl by Miku Hatsune which I‘ve had on replay all day. It’s short and fluffy so...And this is my (2nd I think) Larry story and Louis is alive this time so yeah. :D I kinda didn’t want to write it because Larry is all over the place but it just happened…
> 
> (2015 Steph): I really don't like this lol Rundown: spelling/grammar errors galore, lots of shit don't make sense, cheesy. Befitting of 14 year old me. I also was and still am vocaloid trash. There's bullying and death in this fic. Do not read this if that triggers you, ok?

_“I want to be good at something…”_

_The kicks got harder and harder as Harry gasped, blood splattering across the concrete pavement beneath him._

_“You’ll never become anything!”_

_“Worthless piece of shit!”_

_“You’d be better off dead!”_

_Harry shook his head as another blow came to his abdomen, causing him to hack up some more blood._

_“You’re wrong…”_

_\--_

“You should really just give up, Harry. You’re going to get yourself killed like this.” Gemma said as she bandaged her little brother’s cut on his shoulder.

He had brought his guitar to school again; to practice with his music teacher.

Gemma had warned him the first time what would happen. They were poor; low-class; nothing. People around here will remind you of that when you got in over your head. They could never support someone who had bigger dreams than this town; only shatter them. And that’s what she feared most for Harry because he was always dreaming and always hoping for something more.

Harry shook his head, like he always did. His grip was still tight on his guitar neck; knuckles white and some bloody from the attack.

“I can’t, Gemma. I can’t do that.” He said. “I’ve failed everything, you know?” he looked at her, his eyes hopeful and pleading. “I have to do this.”

Gemma sighed as she ruffled his hair. She wasn’t sure why he was so obsessed with this; but she wouldn’t tear him down like everyone else has.

She was all he had left.

“Yeah, I know. But be careful. You know how things are around here.”

Harry nodded.

Sadly, he did know.

\--

Louis never did understand Harry Styles. He was pretty sure no one did.

But he saw him everyday; holding that old acoustic guitar with new bruises on his body and even more hope in his eyes.  He was confusing.

Sometimes, when Louis hung around in the hallways with Liam and Niall, he could hear the sound of guitar chords and bad playing sounding out from the empty music room and Mr. Walsh yelling out instructions. No one ever really cared too much for talent around here.

Everyone in this town amounted to nothing.

But he never stopped. Harry always kept going.

Louis took a sip of his Sprite as he looked at the boy in the wooden seat. Liam and Niall had detention today so there wasn’t much to do without them. He hated going into the cafeteria; there was too much noise and fights broke out daily with all those savages in one area. He wasn’t sure what led him to the music room but, hey, he needed something to do.

Harry strummed the guitar; eyes concentrated on his fingers which were wrapped in bandages with red stains bleeding through. He winced as the strings vibrated after he strummed. Louis sometimes wondered why Harry kept it up.

Harry Styles was a known failure if anything; in school, he barely made it to the next grade. He couldn’t socialize. He couldn’t fight or stand up for himself. He couldn’t do anything without fucking it up someway.

That’s just how he was; how he always was.

He hadn’t noticed Louis standing in the doorway until Louis had stepped in closer.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

Harry’s head snapped up and Louis noted that he never saw someone look so frightened before in his life. His emerald eyes were wide and his mouth in an ‘o’ shape of surprise. The fact that was pale and damn near anorexic only added to it.

“P-playing guitar.” Harry removed his fingers from their original places and pulled the instrument close to his chest in a protective manner.

“P-please don’t hurt me. You can at least wait until after school—“ he started, eyes already beginning to water.

“Why would I hurt you?” Louis spat as he walked into the room fully and Harry’ breathing hitched.

“Everyone does.” He said, his eyes downcast. Louis scowled.

“Well I’m not; you look too small for me to hit anyway.” He said, taking a long mouthful of his soda and Harry looked up at him in surprise.

“Are you good?” Louis asked, pulling up a seat and Harry shook his head. He couldn’t lie.

“Not really. I can’t seem to get it right; even after two months.” Louis scoffed at that. Figures.

“Shit, two months and you still can’t play a chord right? I’d move on to something el—“

“NO!”

Louis’ eyes widened in shock at the outburst from the frail boy. Harry’s did too as he realized what he just did.

“I-I’m sorry. B-But I really can’t give this up.” Harry said and it looked as if tears were gathering in his eyes again.

Louis sighed. Man, this kid was really messed up, huh? But as his mind flashed back to the multiple times he had strolled past Harry as some older kids stomped him to bits, he guessed he had reason to be.

“It’s alright.” Louis said. “I understand.

But he really didn’t. The only dreams people had around here was being able to eat next week and Harry’s was a bit strange; but he supposed he could understand a bit.

No one would ever say it, but nobody wanted to stay in this place where everything was limited, even the imagination.

\--

“So you brought that stupid guitar around here again?”

Harry instinctively took a step back from his six classmates. He knew it wouldn’t do much; that they probably would still get him in the end like they always did.

But maybe—just this once—he could get away.

He always thought that, though.

 “J-just leave me alone.” Harry practically begged. “I haven’t even done anything!”

“Leave me alone!” they mocked him, laughing loudly and obnoxiously and it sounded like screeching to Harry’s ears. A girl in the pack of boys grinned sinisterly.

“Fine,” she said, shrugging. “We’ll leave you alone…if you give me that guitar.”

Harry gaped at her. She couldn’t seriously be asking that, right? He held the instrument close. “I can’t do that.” He said and she chuckled darkly.

“Well I guess we’ll just beat the shit outta you until you do.”

The pain was agonizing and Gemma had to put on even more bandages that night and it hurt to move; but he never let go of that guitar once.

_“Just hand it over already, you freak!”_

_“Kiss my ass…I’ll die before I let you take this away from me…”_

\--

The next day, Harry didn’t show up at school.

Louis felt like an idiot for noticing that; who cared if he didn’t show up? He was everybody’s punching bag anyway.

But he did and it stayed on his mind all day.

_‘Maybe he finally gave up…’_ he thought and he felt slightly disappointed.

He was actually hoping Harry wouldn’t be like everyone else.

\--

Harry showed up late the next day in class.

He wore tattered, baggy clothes just like everyone else and almost every visible part of his body had a bloodstained on it. His jaw was swollen when he walked in and Louis noted how some of the kids smirked.

Proud of their work. It disgusted him.

But he also noticed the guitar Harry gripped at his side. He handed Mr. Cowell a note.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Mr. Cowell.” He said and it was hard to understand due to his jaw injury but Cowell nodded and smiled up at Harry; obvious sympathy in his eyes.

He knew what Harry went through everyday.

“It’s alright, Mr. Styles. Take your seat.”

Harry trudged to the back of class, not even noticing someone stick their foot out and causing him to fall face first on the cold floor.

The class erupted in laughter when Harry made impact with the ground; all except Louis who glared.

He wanted to say something; he really did. But, getting ahead of yourself here only put you in Harry’s position so he just watched as Harry struggled to his feet.

\--

“You know one day, someone’s gonna steal that and sell it for like five dollars, right?” Louis told Harry as the boy strummed out his G chord.

“Then I’ll get it back.” Harry said simply and Louis rolled his eyes.

It was a black eye this week; not as bad as usual. A couple bruises here and there; but Harry was okay. He always was. And sometimes it pissed Louis off; how much Harry was willing to go through for a guitar—or something else rather.

Or maybe he was just upset that he wasn’t strong enough to do the same.

“Once it’s stolen, it never comes back idiot.” Louis reminded him. Sometimes, he tried to break reality down to Harry like everyone else did. Most of the time, it didn’t work.

“I’ll look for it until I get it back.” Harry replied, forming a C chord. Louis glanced at the guitar and determined it wasn’t very much.

It looked old; with chips and scratches where it’s been dropped and probably where Harry had to fight to keep it away from someone else.

“It’s really important to you, huh?” Louis asked and Harry nodded, not looking up from the guitar.

“It’s the only thing I have left from my mom.”

The rest of the session was quiet.

\--

_“Harry! Come down! I have a surprise for you!” his mom called when she walked through the door._

_10-year old Harry rushed down the stairs and Anne giggled. He was always eager and excited to see her when she came back from work; even as he was getting older._

_Harry stood at attention in the kitchen, plaid pajamas hanging off his small form as he smiled widely._

_“Yes, mum?” he asked. Anne smiled._

_“Close your eyes.” She said and Harry obeyed, shutting his eyes tightly._

_“Okay!” he said. He heard something shuffling._

_“Open them.” Anne said and Harry opened his eyes to see an acoustic guitar being held up by his mother. He blinked in confusion._

_“What’s this, mum?” he asked, taking it in his hands and turning it about to observe it more._

_“It’s a guitar, Harry. Like the ones you see on TV. I thought you might like to learn how to play it.”_

_Harry plucked a string with his finger. “Okay.”_

_For nearly seven years, the guitar sat in the corner of his room. Harry never had time; always trying new things while the guitar collected dust._

_About two months after his seventeenth birthday, his mother died in a car crash._

_That day was the first day he really picked it up._

_\--_

“Louis, do you play any instruments?” Harry asked him one day and Louis laughed as he took another sip of his Sprite. It was a rare day that Harry started off the conversation; Louis did most of the talking. He spoke of his pranks with Niall and Liam and things that happened in class while Harry silently listened, playing his guitar all the way through.

Louis never told him but he really didn’t suck so much anymore.

“And get my ass handed to me daily like you? Nope. Talentless over here.” Louis scoffed

Harry frowned. “You don’t have any talent?”

“Dude, all I do is watch TV and hang around with you everyday. I don’t do much else.” Louis said and so what if he didn’t? No one here did; that wasn’t anything new. That was just how things went here. You don’t have money; you don’t have civility; you don’t have anything. Everyone here is nothing and you learn to accept that at a certain point

Harry’s eyes went to the floor and Louis didn’t know why but he could see pity—almost sadness in them.

And he didn’t like it. When could you ever find someone that Harry fucking Styles pitied? He was usually the one you felt sorry for around here.

“That’s sad.” Harry said softly. “I mean, I know most of the time people will pick on you for it but everyone should be good at something…even if you don’t wanna show it like I do.”

He looked up at Louis with a sincere gaze and the older boy was taken back. He never heard Harry speak his mind like that; he was always too afraid.

Louis groaned after a minute before he handed his soda can to Harry.

“Here, you keep the rest. I’m going home.”

Harry panicked. “L-Louis, I’m sorry! You don’t have to—“

“Idiot, I got something to do at home. It’s not your fault. Calm down.” Louis cut him off and Harry hushed.

 “Y-your Sprite…”

“I told you keep the rest.”

“You never give me any.” Harry mumbled and Louis shrugged.

“Things change.” Louis said and then he did something Harry never saw him do since they had met.

He smiled; wide and big and Harry felt his face heat up as he noticed how much more attractive Louis looked with a smile on his face instead of a scowl.

Harry couldn’t help but return the smile and took a sip of the Sprite.

He had a friend.

\--

“So I looked up all this stuff in the library.” Louis said the next day, presenting a packet of chords and notes that he had printed out to Harry who stared in shock.

“What did you do all of this for?” he gasped, looking over a paper Louis had printed.

Louis avoided Harry’s gaze as he spoke. “Well, you know what you said yesterday?”

Harry nodded, flipping over to another page.

“Well, I kinda thought about it. I figured it would be kinda bad if I ended up like everyone else here,” Louis spoke and Harry looked up at him.

 “Let’s face it,” Louis sighed. “Most of these people will be here doing the same shit their entire lives and that sounded pretty damn boring to me.  So I guessed maybe I could learn how to play an instrument—like you. You know; to at least be good at something.”

A smile slowly crept onto Harry’s face as Louis finished, a slight blush on his face.

“That’s amazing, Louis.” He said and it really was. Harry never had somebody who felt the same way; shared the same outlook even if it was slightly different. “What did you decide to play?”

“Bass,” Louis answered. “I’m practicing on the ones in that music shop by the liquor store. Maybe, when I get some money, I’ll get—“

Louis paused when he felt Harry wrap his arms around his abdomen in a warm hug. He knew maybe it was weird; but he always thought Harry had cold skin.

He was pale as paper and skinny; there were rings under his eyes from lack of sleep and he was almost always bruised somewhere. He looked dead; and Louis always thought that he’d feel like it too.

He was kind of surprised when he felt the warmth emanating from the smaller boy and he breathed in the scent. He didn’t smell of anything special; cheap soap like everyone else here but he found it strangely inviting and he liked it.

 “H-Harry, what are you doing?” he stammered stupidly.

“I’m happy for you.”

Louis gulped as Harry whispered that to him and he slowly but surely wrapped his arms around the boy’s small frame. Louis felt sick as he could feel Harry’s bones under the baggy white shirt but he didn’t let go.

He could hear Harry hiss in pain from the bruises he had required there but only for a split second.

It sunk in that Louis would soon have to deal with that same thing.

Surprisingly, he didn’t really care.

He guessed Harry was kind of worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> Sigh. If you like this, you're a good person, much better than me.


End file.
